Cocktail dress

Christian Dior|House of Dior

fall/winter 1956–1957 · silk · Costume Institute

A quintessential Christian Dior cocktail dress from the late 1950s, this garment exemplifies the silhouette with which the designer is so closely associated. The full skirt and fitted boned bodice are characteristic of his work from earlier in the decade, but the waist is raised, a sign of change seen even more clearly in other designs from the 1956-7 collections. The integral, artistically-draped rose is a subtle clue to the couture quality of this garment.

Artist

Christian Dior|House of Dior

Date

fall/winter 1956–1957

Medium

silk

Culture

French

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mrs. Hans H. Zinsser, 1964